Robbo’s top 50 AFL players of 2024: Hawthorn dominates annual list of footy’s best

Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson’s annual top 50 has been released and is dominated by three clubs. See which clubs have the most representatives and 20 players who made the cut here.

Hawthorn’s star is set to continue rising next year after having the second-most players named in Mark Robinson’s Top 50 players of season 2024.

But it’s Carlton skipper and now 2x Brownlow winner Patrick Cripps who reigns supreme as the AFL’s premier player this season according to Robbo.

Rounding out the top 10 of the list was retiring Lions star Joe Daniher, who Robbo praised for arriving as a true September performer, leading the Lions to the 2024 flag.

SEE ROBBO’S FULL TOP 50 FOR SEASON 2024 HERE

Newly-crowned premiers Brisbane have the most players with six and two in the top 10, while Hawthorn and GWS have five apiece in the list.

The Hawks finished sixth on the ladder after many pundits predicted a bottom-four finish for them in season 2024, with Sam Mitchell’s men racing back up the ladder to become shock finalists, bowing out to Port Adelaide in a thriller in the semi-finals.

Jai Newcombe has emerged as one of the AFL’s premier midfielders. Picture: Michael Klein.

Star onballer Jai Newcombe was named at the pointy end of the list, while captain James Sicily and three other Hawks made appearances in the list.

Robbo praised Newcombe’s elevation as a player during Hawthorn’s second-half charge in 2024.

“He’s not the flashiest looking player, but he’s all about substance,” he said.

“You look at him, he doesn’t kick like Errol Gulden and he doesn’t streak through the screens like Isaac Heeney, he’s actually a brute like Patty Cripps.”

At the other end of the spectrum, neither Richmond or Adelaide had a player in the Top 50. Richmond claimed the wooden spoon after an injury-hit year, with only Daniel Rioli in contention for individual honours come season’s end, but the Crows were surpassed by North Melbourne and West Coast who both finished below them on the ladder but had three and two members in the top 50 apiece.

Izak Rankine and Jordan Dawson were the Crows’ best players for the season - but Rankine spent half the year on the sidelines through injury and suspension and Dawson was hot-and-cold all year.

Taylor Walker and Dawson made Robbo’s pre-season Top 50, while the retiring Dustin Martin and departing Shai Bolton also fell from the pre-season list.

Collingwood had just one player in the top 50 - Nick Daicos - as did Essendon, while Fremantle will be disappointed to have finished in 10th despite four players cracking Robbo’s list.

The full Top 50 is out now on Code Sports, the Herald Sun and News Corp Mastheads.